Improvement in cotton-seed planters



@initrd 51am @anni @attira Letters Patent No. 92,481, dated July 13, 1869.

IM'PRQVEMENI- IN COTTONSEED PLANTERS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part or the same.

To all whom it/may concern Be it known that we, JOSEPH SHEARER and M. B. ARMSTRONG, of Timbersville, (Armstrong Post Office)` in the county of Wabash, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Construction of Cotton-Seed Planters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact desoription, reference being had' to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the planter;

Figure 2 is a plan or bottom view; and

Figure 3 is a partial vertical sectional view through the line :c y, g'. 2, showing the manner of adjusting the furrowing-blade or tooth.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the iigures.

The invention consists of a novel construction and arrangement of parts, whereby a more perfect adjustment ofthe planter, with reference to the height of the ridge or furrow in which the seed is to be planted, as well as of thedepth to which the seed is covered, may be e'ected, as the nature and condition of t-he soil may require, which will be fnlly'understood from the following description of its construction and operation.

In the drawings- A represents the frame or bed-piece, made of one or more pieces, as may be convenient.

A A are handles, to assist in guiding the planter.

B is a clevis, of the ordinary construction, and attachedtto the' front end to draw the planter by.

C C are two ridging-plows, rigidly secured to frame A.

The mould-board of one of these plows turns a furrow to the right, and the other turns it to the left, and thus are arranged, so as to throw the two furrows toward each other, thereby forming a ridge.

Through the centre of this ridge the bladeD, constructed substantially like an ordinary, cultivatortooth, makes a trench or drill, adapted to receive the seed, which is delivered from the distributer E.

The blade or tooth D is attached to the front side of transverse bar A2, the vertical adjustment of said tooth being provided for by slo't tl and bolt d.

F is a rake, which covers the seed, by scraping back into the trench a portion of the earth thrown out by the tooth D. f

The rake Fis supported upon elastic rods F1 1*", secured against backward strain by having theinforward ends attached to the shauks of the plows G O.

This method of securing the rake is at once cheap, expeditious, and durable.

The shanks ofthe plows can be cast with the holes in them, then the rods may be inserted and riveted, and when once in are permanent, because, being metal to metal, the joint may be' made rigid, and it will not loosen as easily as if the rods were attached to the wooden frame of the planter.

In order to give these rods the desired elasticity, and yet have snicient strength, they are formed with a scroll, as shown at f2.

The rake is adjusted vertically by means of the standards ff and nuts f1 f1.

G is a roller, following the rake and packing the earth slightly, and also furnishing a support for the rear end of frame A A through the standards G G', having bearings formed in or attached to their lower ends for the axle of the roller Gr.

Said standardsare adjustably connected with frame A by bolts g1 g1 passing through slots g y.

H is a hopper, provided at the bottom with a slot, through which the seed is delivered by the distributer E, mounted on shaft E', revolving vin suitable bearings, and rotated by belt I passing around the sheaves or grooved pulleys gz e.

The periphery of distributer E is grooved or tinted, each groove or channel extending diagonally half way across the face ofthe wheel, and meeting a similar groove running in an opposite direction, as shown in tic. 2.

be are spurs,.to prevent the seed from arching in hopper H.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that this planter is susceptible of a greater variety of 'adjustments than any one now in use.

For instance, to plant deeper, drop Athe tooth D, as described, and in order to cover more deeply, lower the rake F, and in case that alone fails to eiiect change enough, then drop the tooth also; this will deepen the furrow, and will also increasel the amount of earth thrown up.

To increase the height of the ridge upon which the seed is to be sown, we place the draught-ring in an `upper notch' in the clevis B, thus running the plows O C deeper into the ground. This necessitates raising the tooth D, or else the drill will be too deep.

The rake F must also be raised, or it will cover too deeply.

. Ihe quantity of seed sown to the acre can be regu lated by changing the speed of the distributer, byv

3. In combination with a device for drilling or 6. The combination, in a seed-drill, of two n'dgingplanting seed, an adjustable scraper or rake, snpplows, a dril1-tooth,a rake, and aroller. ported. by means of elastic oryielding rods, or their In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our equivalents. hands, the 21st day of April, 1869.

4. In combination with a device for drilling or JOSEPH SHEARER. planting seed, a rake or-scraper, for covering the l M. B. ARMSTRONG. seed, made adjustable, and located between the drill- -tooth and roller. Witnesses:

5. Supporting ,the rake or scraper of a seed-drill J.- W. PRICE, against backward strain, by connecting it with the R. H. HUDSON.

Shanks of the ridging-plows. 

